Motion limiting device



IA. R- CLYNE MOTION LIMITING DEVICE Jan. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 1, 1950 nimw INVENTOR. A4 0 X5705 A. 04 Y/u ATT PN Y Jan. 5, 1954 A. R. CLY NE MOTION, LIMITING pEv 'cE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jung I, 1950 5 IQ QR N z 3 w M T s A r w AYW B Patented Jan. 5, 1954 were ; UNITED STATES rATENT OFFICE MOTION LIMITING DEVICE Aloysius R. Clyne, New Dorp, N. Y. Application June 1, 1950, Serial No. 165,569

This invention relates to a quick-setting or stop device adapted to be used where it is desired to position one element accurately with respect to another element or to limit the relative movement between two elements. The invention has many applications such as in machine tools operation, hand tools having relatively movable parts, drafting apparatus where it is desired to position a straight-edge, angle or the like on the drafting board, etc.

The principal object. of the invention is the provision of a small compact setting or stop element adapted to be manipulated by one hand ,quickly and easily along a longitudinal element and to be locked thereupon at a predetermined exact point. I

Although, as stated above, the invention has many different applications, it will be described at first as a quick-setting stop device for controlling or limiting the relative movement between the vertically moving quill and the fixed or head portion, of a drill press. Other applications of the invention will also be described.

A conventional drill press usually comprises a base or table, a spindle or post attached to the base and extending upwardly and a drill press head mounted on the post. Within the head and vertically movable therein is a sleeve or quill which serves as a bearing support for the drill shaft which carries a drill chuck at its lower end. Means are provided for raising and lowering the quill, and thus drill shaft,. with respect to the head.- The conventional depth gauge and stop for indicating the vertical position and limiting the movement of the quill with respect to the head usually comprises a bracket attached to the quill and extending laterally therefrom and a short, threaded rod extending upwardly from the end of the bracket parallel to the side of the drill press head. A lug afiixed to the side of the head projects laterally close to the threaded rod and cooperates with a nut having threaded engagement with the rod. By turning the nut, it can be moved upwardly or downwardly along the threaded rod to a desired position and then, when the quill is moved downwardly with respect to the head, the nut will engage the projecting lug so as to limit or stop further downward movement. The nut usually cooperates with a scale on the head to indicate the permissible vertical movement of the quill and drill shaft with respect to the head. Y

A very important disadvantage of the conventional drill press construction described above is that whenever it is necessary to change the depth 1 Claim. (Cl. 7734.5)

gauge or stop one must screw the stop nut along the threaded rod to the desired position. This of course takes time and some efiort, particularly when it is necessary to move the nut along the rod more than a small fraction of an inch.

Another disadvantage is that unless a lock nut is also provided on the threaded rod, vibration of the drill press may cause the nut to rotate on the rod, thus changing the desired setting. Where a duplicate nut, i. e. a lock nut, is provided, then the operator must thread both nuts along the rod to the desired position and then lock them together.

In accordance with this invention means are provided whereby the depth stop can be moved very quickly from one position to another where it will remain without movement, even when considerable vibration is present. A micrometer adjustment is also provided so that the depth stop can be positioned. with extreme accuracy, and this of course is very important where accuracy is requiredin the drilling operation. Very simply described, the device is similar to a nut and bolt, the exception being that the nut can be slid quickly to the desired position without being turned on the bolt or rod, after which the nut can be turned to the exact position desired.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the essential parts of a drill press;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the device taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of another part of the device taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional elevation through the adjusting ring members;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional elevation through the parts shown in Fig. 4, but taken from the right; 7

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of adjusting ring or stop;

- Fig. 7 is an isometric view of the modified form of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the stop device as applied to a drafting board, and

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional elevation taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front view of a portion of a drill press comprising a drill press table It, a head i2, a quill I l vertically slidable within the head, a drill shaft 16 mounted for rotation within the quill, a drill chuck it secured to the lower end of the drill shaft, and a drill bit .3 secured in the chuck. A piece of material 22 is shown resting upon the table I53. Secured to the vertically slidable quill I4 is a clamp bracket 24 projecting toward the right and adapted to support a rod 25 threaded into the bracket at its lower end and secured thereto by means of the nut 28. As shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3, the rod 25 is flat on three sides and threaded at on the side disposed toward the drill press head. Secured to and projecting laterally from the drill press head 52 is a forked lug or bracket 32 disposed, as shown in the Fig. 5, so that the open or forked portion partly surrounds the vertical rod 26. Conventional means are shown for moving the quill and its drill shaft vertically within the head, these means comprising'a laterally projecting sleeve 34, a shaft 35 rotatably mounted within the sleeve and a bar 38 passing through the outer end of the shaft. The left hand end of the shaft 36 is provided with teeth not shown, adapted to cooperate with teeth on the back side of the quill, 14 in a manner well known so that when the, operator grasps the bar 38 and turns the shaft 35,.the quill will move up or down. During. this movement the rod zfi'will, of course, move correspondingly up or. down within, the forked lug 32. l

. Mounted for vertical rotational adjustment on the, depth rod 26 arev two stop members or rings 40 and 42, the members!) being positioned above the lug. 32, and the; member 42 being positioned below the lug 32' and above they quill bracket 24. As shown more clearly in Figure's' l and 5, the hole through the, ring. member 49 is larger in diameter than the width of the rod 26 and the member is. provided with internal threads 4d of the same type as the threads 3!] on the rod 26. The upper and lower faces of the ring All are recessed and the lower'insi'de edge is tapered as at 46. A spring which may be ofthe general shape shown at 58, fits within and between the right hand surface ofv the rod 25 and the ring 40. It will be observed v that with the construction shown, pressure applied to the outer right hand side of the ring 40 will cause the spring 48 to be compressedwhile at the same time the threads 44 will be released from the threads 30. While the threadsare thus released or disengaged, the. ring 40 can be moved easily up. or down. along the rod 26, and upon the release of the pressure, the spring 48- will. again forcethe ring to the right so that the threads 30 and 44 will again be engaged. The lower endof the spring 4'8 is provided with a projection adapted toengage the tapered edge 46 of the ring 40 sothat when the spring is moved upwardly. by pressure of the fingers, the projection- 50. will wedgeinto the tapered ringportion- 46, thus holding the ring All tightly in engagement with the rod 26. The upper, outer periphery of the ring, 4.0,is slightly recessed, and an indicia or zeroing ring 52 is frictionally engaged with, the recessed portion of the ring, sothatit can, be turned around the ring as. will be described hereinafter. i

As shown more clearly in the other side view of Figure 5, a guide member 5%- is fitted withinthe ring 40 and between the front side of thering and the front of therod 25.; The guide54 is recessed to accommodate the threads 44 of the, ring and thus does not interferewith the turning .of the v ring about its vertical axis. The inner surface of theguide 54 slides along the front flat surface of the, rod 26, when the .ring isbeing moved upor down. As shown in Fig. 1, the-guide 54 is provided. with a pointed extension 5 6.adapted to on the ring 52.

4 cooperate with a scale 58 secured to the side of the drill press head [2. The guide 54 is also provided with an index or reference mark 58 cooperating with the indicia ring 52.

In the operation of the device so far described, and in using the device as a depth controlling stop, the point of the drill bit 20 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the material 22, and with the drill in this position, the ring All is pressed toward the head I"! and slid down the rod 25until its lower face comes in contact with the upper surface of the forked lug 32. If, when the pressure is released, the threads do not permit the ring to. engage the lug, the ring will be turned slightly while the threads are engaged. The indicia ring 52 is then turned about the outer surface of the main ring 40 until the zero marking on the ring coincides with the reference mark 58 onthe guide member 54. The depth of the desired hole is selected and the ring 40 is again pressed, toward the drill press. head and slid upwardly until the. pointer 55 is opposite the desired depth readingronthe scale 58. Again, it maybe necessary to. turn the ring 40 after the pressureis released so that the pointer will coinc'ide exactly with the desired reading on the scale. Asan example, let us assumethat we desire to drillahole .500. inch deep in the. material 22 and also assume that the .scale 58 is inscribed in inches with as many marks per inch'as there are threads. per .inch on the rod 26. The bar 38 is manipulated to bring the point of the drill 2!? into contact with the. surface of the material 22, at-the desired point, and the ring 40 is set sothat the pointer 56 is opposite the .500 mark on the scale 58, the peripheral markings or indicia onthering 52 having been.zeroed. The stop is nowset. and by turning thebar 38 to perform the, drilling operation, the. bit will advance into the material. and the ring 40 will descend until it strikes the forked lug 32. This will stop the descent of the ring 4i] and thus the drill bit. The point 56v will now read. zero .on the scale 58, and hence themovement of all. the parts involved and the depth ofv the hole will be exactly .500 inch.

. If a hole is desired, the. depth of which is not shown exactly on the scale 58, it can be obtained by positioning the drill and zeroing the ring 40 as described above. Withthe drill bit in contact with the upper surface of the material 22, the pointer 56v is set to the nearest division on the scale 58 and. the ring 40. is then rotated for the fraction ofthe division. desired. This. is accomplished by turning the ring 40 until the index In Figures 6 and? is shown a modification of the depth stop. I In thiscase a U-shaped housing or support 59is placed around the rod 25a and the legs of they support member embrace a ring 6.0. which, like the ring 48, is provided with an internally threaded holelarger in diameter than the rod'26a. The; center. portion of the support member is providedwith-a recess adapted to house a compression spring 62 and a small plunger 6.4 biased by thespring into engagement with the knurled outer surface of the ring 60. The spring 62 andthe plunger 64 normally force thev ring 69 tothe left so as to engage the threads on the rod 2 6a which in this case may be threaded arounditsentirev surface. Pressure applied to the left hand surface (as viewed in Fig. 6) of the ring 60, compresses the spring 62 and releases the threaded: ring from the rod 2641.50 that the ring and thezsupport member 59 .can be moved longitudinally of the rod to the desired point. When the pressure is released, the threads will again engage, thus holding the ring against the rod. The ring 60 is preferably provided with an indicia ring 66 similar to the ring 52 of Fig. 4 which may be turned in friction engagement with the ring 60 and adapted to cooperate with an index mark 68 on the support member. The operation of this embodiment is substantially the same as that previously described with reference to the ring 40, except that in this case the lower surface of the support member 59, rather than the ring, is adapted to engage the lug .32 on the drill press head.

In order to limit the return or upward movement of the quill and drill shaft, a return stop device is disclosed, which in some ways is similar to the depth stop ring id. As is shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 5, the return stop member 42 comprises an internally threaded annular portion it having a hole larger in diameter than the rod 2%. The upper portion of the member 1!) is reduced in diameter and provided with external threads '52, adapted to engage an internally threaded ring 74. A set screw it is threaded through the ring member Ill and is adapted to engage the right hand side of the rod 26 so that the internal threads of the member 7!! will tightly engage the threads 3!] on the rod 25. As is shown more clearly in Figure 1, the lower outer periphery of the ring 14 is preferably provided with a friction indicia or zeroing ring it adapted to be turned about the rin I4 and to cooperate with a reference mark 80 on the annular member 9. The return stop ring 42 is placed between the forked lug 32 and the quill bracket 24 around the rod 26. When the set screw I6 is unscrewed or loosened by an amount, such that the internal threads of the member 1!) can be disengaged from the threads 38, the ring assembly may be moved along the rod 26 to approximately the desired location and when the set screw 76 is tightened, the assembly will be rigidly locked in. position. If the ring I l is now turned it will move laterally out of the member 10 until the upper surface of the ring l' engages the lower surface of the lug 32.

The return stop 42 is useful when it is desired to use the drill press as a micrometer for measuring the thickness of a member such as the member 22. When used as amicrometer, the drill bit 26 becomes the equivalent of a micrometer spindle and the table It] becomes the micrometer anvil. The member 22 to be measured is placed on the table It? and the drill bit is lowered until it contacts the upper surface of that member. While in this position, the return stop ring 42 is moved upwardly as close as possible to the under side of the lug 32 and the set screw 16 is turned, temporarily securing the ring member III to the rod 26. The return stop adjusting ring M is now turned until it comes into contact with the lower surface of thelug 32. The depth stop ring it is zeroed on the upper face of the lug 32 as has been previously described. The member 22 is now removed from the table iii and after the depth stop ring A!) is moved upwardly, the drill bit is lowered until it strikes .the table it. While the bit is in this position, the depth stop ring id is slid along the rod 25 and turned if necessary until it engages the top of the lug 32. The drill bit is then raised until the ring 42 again engages the under side of the lug 32 and the thicknes of the member 22 can be read on the scale 58 oppositethe pointer 55 in conjunction 'with'the peripheral markings or indicia 22 with reference to the index mark 58. By using the described method along with known standards (rods or plates having exactly measured thicknesses or lengths) the drill press may be used as a micrometer for its full capacity. The return stop ring 42 may also be used to advantage in multiple operations to prevent the quill from returning upwardly as far as it would otherwise travel.

Another application of the device is shown in Figures 8 and 9 wherein the invention is illustrated as applied to drafting, i. e. drawing board equipment. With the apparatus illustrated, which will now be described, it is possible to make drawings with greater ease and much greater accuracy than hitherto possible:

A rectangular drawing board 30 is provided at its upper and lower left-hand edges with brackets 92 which may be attached to the under side of the board by suitable screws 9d. Secured to and between the brackets 92 is a guidebar 98 preferably rectangular in cross section, disposed parallel to the left-hand edge of the drawing board. Also secured to and between the brackets Q2 and to the left of the guide bar 96 is a rod 98 which is also parallel to the left-hand edge of the board and consequently to the guide bar 96. The bar or rod 98 is preferably threaded as at its along its inner or right-hand side, although if desired, the rod can be threaded around its entire surface. A straight-edge bar I02 fairly thin in cross section, is adapted tobe moved up and down along the board 99 and to remain at all times parallel to the upper or lower edge of the board. A pair of gibs I04 and IE6 are attached at right angles to the under side of the bar M12 as by suitable screws I98 and are disposed so as to have sliding engagement with the opposite sides of the guide bar 96. The gibs I05 and I 65 therefore maintain the straight-edge bar IE2 at all times at right angles to the guide bar 96. The left end portion of the bar I02 is preferably thickened as at I I6 and is bifurcated to provide projections H2, having holes H3 encircling and larger in diameter than the rod 98, thus enabling the bar I62 to slide along the rod. A finger support I I i is attached to and projects upwardly from the bar I02 near the bifurcated end portion thereof.

Disposed within the opening between the ends 4 E2 of the bar I92 is a quicksetting ring member i It similar to the member 6!] previously described and shown in Fig. 6. As is the case with the ring 63, the member HE is provided with a center hole It? larger in diameter than the rod 98, the inner surface of the hole being threaded with the same type threads as those at I00 on the rod 98. The ring I I6 is preferably provided with a friction zeroing ring H8 similar to the ring $6 on member 6! and adapted to be turned about the outer periphery of the ring l I6 and provided with indicia adapted to cooperate with a reference mark I23 on one of the ends I i2. If desired, the lower edge of the ring H5 may also be provided with indicia I22 adapted to cooperate with. a second reference mark 12 1. Within the enlarged portion Iii] of the bar 802 is a'recess containing a compression spring I26 adapted to press a small plunger I28 against the outer knurled surface of the ring H6. A rod-like pointer I 30 is mounted laterally in and has friction engagement with the enlarged portion Ht of the bar 592, this pointer beingprovided with a knurled head Q32. By grasping the head I32 the pointer rod it!) can be moved forward or baokwardly al'ong the upper surface of the guide bar 96for cooperationwith suitable .indicia I34 thereon.

The scale I34 should contain one markforeach.

of the threads I00, although for purposes of simplicity all of the marks are not shownin the drawing. The gib I06 is preferably cutout as at 136 to provide a spacein which a spring I38 is disposed, this spring bearing against the gib I06 and the right-hand edge of the bar 96 and serving to maintain the left-hand gib H34 in snug engagement with the left-hand edge of the guide bar 96.. I

..:.With the apparatus so far described, the ring -I.I.6. will be biased tothe left by the spring I28 .internal threads of the ring engage the-threads -IIlIJ.on the rod, 98aso.;that the bar CW2 willbe lockedtothe rod If the bar IE2 is not exactly in. the position desired, the ring I I5 maybe turned. and .due tothe-engagement of the threadsthe bar II'IZ- will move slightly in. one direction or theother, until theexact position is attained.

If it is desired to "know. how far thebar Ifi2was I moved, the pointer. I39 may be setaopposite one of-the marks on'the scale- I34 before moving the bar and then, after the bar has been placed at the desired position, the=d-istance moved can be read: directly. from the scale I34. 2 As an example, let us assume that the bar i I62 is to be moved 2-2-,.-inches.toward the lower edgeof the board 90and, wewi'll assume: that the -scalev I34 is marked in divisions of 1 inch. First, thepointer I will: beset tothe nearest fullinch'whichwe I will consider as? inches on the scale. The zeroing-ring III) will nowbe turned around the main ring .I I6 unti1..zero. coincides withthereference mark I20. The threads will now be released by pressing ring .I I6 tothe right as described above and; the assemblywill he slid along the upper surface of the board until the-pointer I30 lines up withthe 5-inch mark on the scale I34. The pressure will: then be released so-that the threads willagain-engage, after which the-ring .IItwill be rotatedone-half :turn-which will move. the assembly .inchtowardthe.lower edgeof the board. Thetotal movement. will therefore .be 2. inches plus 27111011101? 2 inches. With the apparatus so fardescribed, the straight-edge bar IIIZ-canbemovedquicklyclear across the board, i..e., from front to back, or backito front,-., if desired:,-or.=it canbe moved in very. slight incre-. ments as. in thercase wherezit is desired to draw a; plurality of :parallellines very close together. The pencilisxof course, guided by theedge of the-bar I02 in the same manner aswhen using a conventional T-square. A- line-or lines'can also'be drawn at right; angles to thebar. I532 with the same accuracy. To this end, asliding block I40 isprovided, having. a recessed lower. surface so that it will rest. upon. the .bar I02 so as to be capable of sliding longitudinally thereupon. The block is provided with two upstanding projections I42; each having a holeadapted to encircle a rod I44 having threads- I 46- along its lower surface.

The rod I44 is supported above and parallel to the bar I02 by means of suitable posts I48. In thespace between the two projections I42 is 'a quick setting or locking ring I50 similar to the ring II6 of Fig. 8 and the ring 60 of Fig. 6.. As is the case with the rings 60 and I I6, the ring I53 is provided with a hole larger in diameter than and adapted to encircle the rod I44. The inner surface of the hole is provided with threads of the same type as those at I46 on the rod I44. Within the body of the block I40 is a recess housing acompression spring I52 and a plunger I54 adapted to press against the knurled surface of the ring I50.. The block I49 is also provided with a pointer I56 slidable therein and having a knurled head I58, the pointer cooperating with a scale I60 inscribed on the upper surface of the bar I02. The ring I50 is preferably also-provided with a snug-fitting zeroing ring I62 having indicia adapted to cooperate with a reference mark 154 on one of. theprojections or legs I42 of the rotated, the :block- I40 will move slightly to one direction orthe other to the exact position desired..-. Apencil can beplaced on the upper edge ofthe bar-.IIIZagainst the side-of the-block I40 andzbymanipulating the ring I I6, the entire as semblycanbe moved: forward or backward over thedrawing board :sothat a line. will be drawn which. will be exactly .atright'angles to the bar 'IIl2..- It will be understood that other drafting implements, suchas vprotractors, angles and the like,.may. be placed against theledge of the-bar B2 and theblock I40. so that lines may be drawn at any. desired angle withrespect to the bar I02. Although-the invention has. been described in two rather different embodiments or-rather, applications, it is to be understood that the invention comprises essentially anainternally threaded ring encircling. and .havinga larger inner diameter than a threaded rod,.and means for biasing the ring so thatits threads will normally engagethose of therod to lock one member in position with respect to the other; further, that the ringcanbe rotatedwhile-the threads are still in engagement-so as to move one of the members slightly with respect to the other for purposes of accuracy. It should also be understood that either of the members, i. e; the rod passing through the ring or the member supporting the ring, may be fixed while-the other is movable.

. Obviously many modifications and variations of theinvention, as hereinhefore set forth, may bemade without departing from thespirit and scope .thereof and, therefore, only such limitationsshould be imposed. as areindicated in the appended claim. 1 -.Iclaim:..;

A setting device adapted to be. positioned at any location on a threaded rod comprising an annular internallythreaded ring encircling said rod,.-.the internal diameter .of. said. ring being greater than the external diameter of said rod. and resilient means between a portion of. the inner. surface of the ring andsaid rod forforcingsaid portion of .the ring: away from said rod to pull the opposite portion of the ring into cooperative threaded engagement with said rod, the resilient means comprising a strip of spring metal disposed longitudinally of said rod between the outer surface of the rod and the threads on said portion of the inner surface of the ring, and said spring strip being curved so as normally to engage in compression both the rod and threads on the ring, said ring having an annular internal beveled portion and said spring having a bent end portion adapted, when the spring is pressed longitudinally of said rod, to wedge between the outer surface of the rod and the beveled portion of said ring to lock the ring tightly to the rod, the arrangement being such that pressure applied to the outside of said ring portion will release said threaded engagement so that the ring can he slid along the rod until the pressure is released, whereupon the ring will be held, by the re-engagement of the threads, at approximately the position desired, after which, rotation of the ring will cause it to advance or recede slightly to the exact position desired.

ALOYSIUS R. CLYNE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 31,576 Mason Feb. 26, 1861 470,561 Grifiin Mar. 8, 1892 967,899 Golden Aug. 23, 1910 1,105,549 Cordier July 28, 1914 2,110,537 Tautz Mar. 8, 1938 2,243,838 Cunningham June 3, 1941 2,490,307 Karr Dec. 6, 1949 2,515,954 Dyczynski July 18, 1950 

